Kherki Daula-Palam Vihar stretch of Dwarka e-way to open by Aug 22

GURGAON: Huda has said a 13.5-km section of Dwarka Expressway, from Kherki Daula to Palam Vihar, will become operational by August 22, after it settled land acquisition hurdles near Sector 100. It will fill a crucial connectivity gap on the 18-km-long road. The project is still caught up in land acquisition hurdles in Chauma village and on the Delhi side.

A senior Huda official said the expressway will be connected with Pataudi and Basai roads and all nearby sectors by August. Work in these areas was stuck due to construction of buildings for two private firms and shifting of high-tension cables. The two companies have been allotted alternate plots. Work on shifting the high-tension cables will start soon.

The opening of this stretch of the expressway will bring relief to thousands of home buyers whose projects have been delayed because of the incomplete road. Huda officials said it is likely to improve connectivity to at least 25 sectors on either side of the road.

According to sources, roads in sectors 83-84, 82-85, 81-86, 99-102, 102-102A, 120-103, 103-106, 109-112, 110A-111 are ready. After this stretch is opened, all these roads will be connected with the expressway. Most of the residential projects in these sectors are either complete or near completion.

"Recently, additional chief secretary of the department of town and country planning (DTCP) Raghvendra Rao had visited the expressway and directed Huda to make a portion of the road, from Kherki Daula to Palam Vihar, operational by August," said the official.

The development authority has also been instructed to complete work on service lanes for sectors along the stretch. Rao directed Huda to provide basic infrastructure, like water supply, sewerage, storm water line and electricity to these sectors, so that people can move into their new homes.

The six-lane Dwarka Expressway, which was conceived over eight years ago, starts from Dwarka in Delhi and ends at Kherki Daula. It was expected to divert 40% of the traffic on NH-8 between Gurgaon and Delhi, but till date, work on only 14.33 km of the road has been completed. The state government has fixed a new deadline of June 2017 for its completion.

The delay has hit residential projects coming up along the expressway, as the area lacks basic amenities. Real estate developers had launched over 60 projects, with 50,000 residential units, along the road. "Many colonies are coming up in these sectors. Many builders have given possession to buyers. Many are expected to get possession in the next six months. In the absence of proper connectivity, residents were not moving into their new homes," said the official.

Currently, the Goods and Services Tax (GST) is levied at 12 per cent on payments made for under-construction property or ready-to-move-in flats where completion certificate has not been issued at the time of sale.